Oct 6th 1864
My dear I take the opertunity
camp homes near raleigh
to rite you a few lines to let
you no that I am well and faring
well at present and I hope these
few lines may find you all the
same and to let you no that
I expect to leave this place to
morrow or next day for charleston
S C we think it to be the best
place of the service we go aboard
of the C. S. Steamer charleston
as mareans they say we fare
we have the finest clothing and
the best to eat and thare is about
forty men a going from here
with us and you must try to
manage your buisness the best
you can for I dont expect to
get home before christmas the
officers told us we could get a
furloe he reconds but I will rite
[page 2]
to you a gain when we get to
charleston and I want you to
rite to me as often as you can and
let me have all the nuse and
I will rite you the nuse thare
is nothing at present of much
importance onley they are
a fighting some a bout peters
burg and verginea thare is
aquantity of men come ing in
every day and the most of them
is guarded in and put in to
the guard house and guar
ded thare untel they are sent
of to ritchmond some comes
in that has bin shot in the
woods they send a parsel off
every day to the armey there is
nothing about peace as I have
heard I see the steem cars
two or three times every day
I sent a letter down to you
[page 3]
a tuesday by Asa harrison
he got clare and I recon willi
am will get clare a while if
they take him I want you
to have some wheat sowed
whare the potatoe patch is and
a little further out in the corn
field and you could have
the same patch where I sowed
last year on the ground I
manured last year from
the hickery tree to the back
side and if you thin[k] it is
too much you can have
as mutch sowed as you
think you can get cut
and you must carry on the
best you can untel I get
home and dont greave your
self no more then you can
help for all dangers hant
death I hope the lord will
[page 4]
be with me wheare ever
I am and I hope he will
be with you all and cum
fort you and give my
love to all of my friends
and aquantance I rote to
you about cleophus in my
other letter [??] he is fat
& harty and tell william
to rite to me and direct
your letters to C. S. Str
charleston charleston So Ca
I will close by saying
I remain your cincer
husband untel death
rite soon
H. H. Bowen